Step-by-step English Level 1: Tricky words: the, to and I
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 1 tricky words: the, to, i, no, go, he, she, we, me, be chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Tricky words: the, to and I
Some words are tricky. They do not follow the usual sounds, so we learn them by sight.
the is said as /the/. to is said as /too/. I is always written with a capital letter.
Read each tricky word the same way every time you see it.
Key ideas
- the is the most common word in English.
- to is short and easy to spot.
- I is always a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Sam has ______ red ball.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.to / the / I
- Pick the word that fits. the is the word that makes the sentence make sense.the fits
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read the sentence with the in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.We walk ______ school together.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.I / the / to
- Pick the word that fits. to is the word that makes the sentence make sense.to fits
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read the sentence with to in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.______ like to read books.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.I / to / the
- Pick the word that fits. I is the word that makes the sentence make sense.I fits
- Write the answer. A
Check. Read the sentence with I in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Watch out
Watch out: to and the look a little alike. Read the whole word before you choose.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read each tricky word aloud, then ask the child to say it back. Cover the sentence and ask the child to read the word on sight.
Exercise 7A Practice: tricky words: the, to and i
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Look at ______ bird in the tree.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.to / I / the
- Pick the word that fits. the is the word that makes the sentence make sense.the fits
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read the sentence with the in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.The dog ran ______ the park.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.I / to / the
- Pick the word that fits. to is the word that makes the sentence make sense.to fits
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read the sentence with to in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Can ______ have a biscuit, please?
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.I / to / the
- Pick the word that fits. I is the word that makes the sentence make sense.I fits
- Write the answer. A
Check. Read the sentence with I in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.I can see ______ sun in the sky.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.the / I / to
- Pick the word that fits. the is the word that makes the sentence make sense.the fits
- Write the answer. A
Check. Read the sentence with the in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Mia went ______ the shop with Dad.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.the / I / to
- Pick the word that fits. to is the word that makes the sentence make sense.to fits
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read the sentence with to in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Sam and ______ are best friends.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.to / the / I
- Pick the word that fits. I is the word that makes the sentence make sense.I fits
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read the sentence with I in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read the sentence with each choice in the gap.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think about what the sentence needs.Put the book on ______ table.
- Read each choice in the gap. Only one choice makes sense.I / the / to
- Pick the word that fits. the is the word that makes the sentence make sense.the fits
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read the sentence with the in the gap. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence with your choice in the gap.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.to / the / I
- Find the one that fits. Look at each word in the list. the is the one with the same letters.the is choice B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read the in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.I / the / to
- Find the one that fits. Look at each word in the list. to is the one with the same letters.to is choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read to in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.I / to / the
- Find the one that fits. Look at each word in the list. I is the one with the same letters.I is choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Read I in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.the to park / the park to / to the park
- Find the one that fits. Read each line from the left, and find the one that says the words in order.to the park is choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read to the park in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.the I like sun / I like the sun / sun I like the
- Find the one that fits. Read each line from the left, and find the one that says the words in order.I like the sun is choice B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read I like the sun in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.